A nature photographer’s images and stories of birds, butterflies, and other creatures from her backyard near Orlando, FL
January 2, 2010 - This ‘Firefighter’ rose looked beautiful yesterday with raindrops all over it. We got an inch and a half of rain – not a bad way to start the new year! Much better than the 30 degree weather that we’re supposed to get tonight…the pineapples are all well tucked in under a nice warm tarp!
January 1, 2010 - A close-up of one of our goldfinches is a very cheerful way to start the year. Happy Mieu Year!
December 31, 2009 - This morning I heard some rustling in the crape myrtle, and looked up to see a bushy tail disappear up onto the roof. When I went outside to investigate, this squirrel was running around on our roof. Squirt wants! You might think it’s strange to list a squirrel as a new visitor to our backyard, […]
December 30, 2009 - Rich and I took my lens out on our walk this evening to take this picture of the fountain in the little pond by our neighborhood. It’s really pretty when it’s lit up at night. Thanks again for the remote shutter release, Vicki and Rich!
December 29, 2009 - While Rich and I were at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge today, these brown-headed cowbirds pigged out at home.
December 25, 2009 - Close-up of Dyeyo’s flowers taken with my new lens! Thanks, Santa Rich! We gave Dyeyo his new camera, too, and spent a fun half hour taking pictures of the Double-Crested Cormorants flying over Lake Florence. Take a peek at Missy’s Diner.
December 23, 2009 - I can’t resist posting this picture of two houses decorated for Christmas in my parents’ neighborhood. It’s hilarious!
December 22, 2009 - We got an early Christmas present today when we saw three goldyfinches in the backyard. I even got pictures! It’s frustrating that the migration is so slow and irregular this year, but it makes the first sightings even more exciting. :)
December 12, 2009 - The recent rains have damaged some of my rose petals, but it’s still fun to see ‘Memorial Day’ putting out blooms that are not totally eaten by thrips.
December 11, 2009 - Squirt had a good time watching the bright red house finches! We also saw our first goldfinch of the season at the thistle feeder in the afternoon. Yay!
December 4, 2009 - We got four inches of rain today. That must be more than we’ve gotten in the past few months combined! The roses sure are not complaining…and this ‘Chris Evert’ bloom was especially pretty covered in raindrops. :)
November 30, 2009 - The monarchs have been visiting the backyard daily for the last week or so, laying their final batch of eggs for the year. I wonder what the neighbors thought if they saw me lying down doing strange contortions with the camera, trying to get close-ups of the eggs? :)
November 29, 2009 - I saw an eagle flying over the backyard this afternoon! He was flying really low, so I saw his head and beak in wonderful detail. Unfortunately I had just put the camera inside, or I could have gotten an amazing picture. :-p We’re excited that the eagles are back this year; we finally found their […]
November 21, 2009 - Finally! Goldy saw some birds in the backyard! The migration has been really slow this year, and we haven’t been seeing very many customers at the feeders. So we were overjoyed to see this flock of brown-headed cowbirds and red-winged blackbirds descend upon the bird feeder. Now if only the goldyfinches would follow suit…
October 30, 2009 - Oh happy day! Despite the record heat, Lowes began stocking pansies, so Squirt got his first pansy fix of the year. Then he got to spend the whole afternoon out on the porch…what more could a little kitty cat want?
October 17, 2009 - Uh-oh…now that the dove managed to land at the top of the bird feeder, how does he get down!?
October 14, 2009 - Squirt’s friend the opossum came back tonight. He climbed up into the lugustrum, stayed there for a while (not hanging from his tail, unfortunately!) and then he climbed down to feast on bird seed. Both Goldy and Squirt were entranced. So do we call this an opossum-bird, Goldilocks?
October 11, 2009 - Tonight Squirt and I enjoyed our ‘Tropical Sunset’ (Squirt from his grill, me from behind the mower). We’re having record highs in the mid-90s…when is the cool October weather going to arrive?
October 10, 2009 - Happy Mum-mum Day! Here’s a ‘Peace’ rose to celebrate. :) I went over to Missy’s Diner and enjoyed the early morning birding hour. Check out the updated pictures.
October 6, 2009 - ‘Melody Parfumee’ is so pretty covered in bloom. I love how her new flowers are dark purple and they lighten as they age.
October 5, 2009 - The roses burst into bloom this week. It’s so strange to look across and see straight into Carla and Peter’s yard. The roses are going to enjoy the extra sunlight, though!
October 4, 2009 - It’s the right time of the year to put out more feeders…but the regular migrants aren’t here yet. :( So the house finches get a banquet.
October 3, 2009 - We haven’t been seeing as many birds as usual this year. We have a few resident house finches, a couple of cardinals, and plenty of doves. Carla tells me that she’s seeing baby cardinals, too, but Rich and I haven’t seen them in our yard. So I’ll post a picture of what we see most: […]
October 2, 2009 - The days are getting shorter and the sunsets earlier. This mockingbird sang to the cats as we ate dinner tonight.
September 30, 2009 - I saw Bow Tie tonight! So now I’m sure that I’ve been hearing him for about two weeks now! (Bow Tie was our yellow-throated warbler visitor from last year. He regularly visits our front feeder after hanging out in Peter’s palm tree.) Picture coming soon… :)
September 27, 2009 - Peter and Carla went chopping-crazy this weekend! First they pulled down the oleander bushes in between our yards, then they took the chainsaw to their banana tree as well. Some advice to their new podocarpus plants: if you want to live long in the Smith yard, keep your leaves to yourself and don’t drip sap […]
September 26, 2009 - ‘Bella Roma’ was hit really hard by the thrips this summer, and I haven’t seem decent blooms on the bush since April. This one was particularly pretty.
September 23, 2009 - ‘St. Patrick’ is blooming great! It’s the tallest in the yard and it’s covered in blooms right now.
September 21, 2009 - This rose is ‘First Prize’ in my book. I love the deep pink color.
September 20, 2009 - ‘Hot Cocoa’ is one of the more unusually colored roses in the garden. It’s really pretty when it’s covered in raindrops.
September 18, 2009 - My ‘Dream Come True’ rose is one of the few that wasn’t bothered a bit by the chilli thrips this summer. It grows so tall over the mailbox each bloom cycle. I think I’m going to have to move it this winter, or the poor mailman is going to stop delivering our mail because of […]
September 16, 2009 - More pictures of ‘Gemini’…I think I have more pictures of this rose than any other rose. It blooms so often! :)
September 14, 2009 - This picture of ‘St. Patrick’ really shows the green tints of the rose.
September 12, 2009 - ‘Double Delight’ has grown up nice and tall after its winter transplant. It and St. Patrick are now the two tallest bushes in the bed.’Double Delight’ has grown up nice and tall after its winter transplant. It and St. Patrick are now the two tallest bushes in the bed.
September 11, 2009 - ‘Gemini’ had some beautiful blooms tonight. Squirt and I enjoyed hanging out on the porch together after work. :)
September 11, 2009 - ‘Peace’, dude! The roses are so pretty when they are sprinkled with dewdrops.
September 6, 2009 - Finally! The roses are starting to bloom again and ‘Dream Come True’ is looking great! It’s one of the few roses that wasn’t bothered this summer by the crazy chilli thrips.
September 4, 2009 - There was a hummingbird in this picture….yep, that’s right, I saw a hummingbird in the bottlebrush tree this morning!!! I was so excited, and ran to get the camera, but it wasn’t there when I came back.
August 29, 2009 - Rich and I stayed up to watch the last scheduled nighttime launch of a space shuttle. The moon was beautiful, too.
August 28, 2009 - This oleander moth was happily nectaring on my zinnias and Goldy was happily watching, so I had to break out the camera…
August 9, 2009 - The house finches spent the afternoon singing their heads off and bathing in the fountain. They were fun to watch…Goldy and Squirt had a great time!
August 4, 2009 - There was a double rainbow in the backyard tonight. You could see the full arch of the main rainbow, and most of the double rainbow (to the right).
August 2, 2009 - Our one pineapple of the season was ready today. It was good. :) Next year we ought to have a bunch…I’m running out of room in the pineapple patch.
July 25, 2009 - Rainbow after an afternoon storm… Keep doing that rain dance, Squirt, because the roses need the extra water and nutrients!
July 23, 2009 - ‘Gold Medal’ is starting to bloom again and the butterflies like the blooms almost as much as I do. :)
July 20, 2009 - Caterpillar yesterday, chrysalis today…we have another monarch in the making! (and if you notice a crazy person lurking in her ruellia bushes with a flashlight at 10pm, don’t call the police please…it’s just me, checking on my chrysalides!)
July 19, 2009 - Despite the thrips that are determined to eat the roses before they open properly, the backyard is still pretty colorful these days. I can’t wait till the crape myrtles are all as big as Q!